Losing aggression and sucking out

Got back on the winning track yesterday. But it was ugly at first.

I came to realize unless I develop a greater sense of discipline, I will never move up levels and be successful. I took big dips with my starting stacks chasing draws and playing second pair. Worse part is I knew I was wrong. I knew I was beat. But after playing online for quite some time, you begin to think that second pair is going to win with all the knuckleheads that online.

Well, I was one of those knuckleheads last night. Thankfully I pulled my head out of my ass and straightened up to make some money.

I got there with 2 good hands and one big suckout. The 2 good hands netted me $164. One was A A, the other A Q. Both were against the same opponent. I played the A Q well. But this was after I misplayed the A A.

I should have had each street capped with the A A. It was capped preflop. Capped on a flop of 4 5 8. But when a 3 hit the turn, I just called the raise. A 10 on the river and I checked fearing he hit a set. I called the bet to see his K K. I can't believe I let this one go down like that. Why was I fearing a set? Capping with a baby pair preflop? Some idiots may do that but I should have read this correctly. This was screaming overpair. I should have kept raising. He didn't have me on A A. I left about $30 on the table in that hand.

Thus when two hands later I had A Q, I played the same guy heads up more aggressively when the Q hit the flop. With no overcards, I kept raising him back as I was confident my Q was good. At least I learned about that opponents tendencies and used it to my advantage.

Meanwhile on the other table, I sucked out to get back to the positive. I may have not had pot odds on the turn, but I had huge implied odds- which I messed up. I was in the BB with 9 7 off. 3 people limp. MP raises. The cut off and button call the two bets. I figure at least one of the limpers if not 2 will call as well. I have to see a flop here. They all call. Flop is 7 8 A. It checks to the bettor who starts the action again. Both cut off and button call. I have bottom pair with no flush draw and a backdoor straight. I figure the bettor has just an ace. I want to see another card on the cheap here to see if I can suck something out. I believe I have pot odds here for the call so I do. Only one of the limpers in EP stays. Turn is a 5. I now have a gutshot straight draw. Same action. Bet. Call, call, call. I call as well. I count myself for 9 outs that are good. The EP go away. River is a 6. I hit my gutshot. But then I screw it up and bet. I should have gone for the check raise. If someone else is playing 9 10 in this spot, power to them. But I should have squeaked out another bet from each of the 2 that called me. Sure enough, one had A K while the other had......4 4 ???? WTF?

This time next week, the tour of Vegas card rooms will be in full swing. Time cannot go fast enough right now.